Orlando, Fla (April 27, 2020) – As the Florida Air and Army National Guard continues to support local and state authorities with the COVID-19 pandemic response, a new rotation of Florida Airmen have arrived and seamlessly continued the responsibility of providing local access to testing for Florida residents. The 125th Fighter Wing has Airmen from all over the state, not only working in the Community Based Testing Sites, but assisting nurses in the mobile testing teams that travel to non-mobile populations within assisted living facilities.
Their quick integration and widespread activation for a mission previously unseen have not gone unnoticed nor unappreciated, as the Air Assistant Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Michael Valle and Command Chief Master Sgt. Of the Florida Air National Guard, Chief Master Sgt. Tracey Canady, visited Airmen and Soldiers supporting Community Basted Testing Sites in Miami and Orange County, Florida.
In seeing Airmen from across the state, from multiple units and occupational backgrounds, respond so quickly and so well to both an unexpected mission and to working with an opposite branch they’ve not had experience with, Valle was not in the least surprised.
“It has validated what I already knew: That we have some outstanding airmen that are willing to do whatever it takes to get the mission done,” said Valle. “In this case, it’s a mission that none of us have ever trained for or ever familiar with it, but they are out here doing a phenomenal job and doing what it takes to get it done.”
While the Orange County CBTS’s operations have the 125th Air Expeditionary Squadron overseeing the military support side and consists of a majority Airmen, sites in South Florida have meshed operation manning with both Soldiers and Airmen. Chief Master Sgt. Candy says he’s gotten a great impression and is all the more grateful for the families who are equally willing to see their loved ones leave home and sacrifice their time for service.
“Overall it has given me a great impression. The Airmen from different units have been able to mesh together very well … Down in Miami we actually have the medical group, Army and Air, working a truly joint mission. They’ve also done a great job of meshing together, and it really goes to show that the two units and branches really can work together,” said Canady. “I just want to say thank you for all that you do, thank your family members for allowing you to have this time to come out. We appreciate all your efforts and your time.”
For 53rd Brigade Support Battalion Capt. Gwendalyn Grant, who is a fulltime nurse practitioner in her civilian job, working with the Airmen and other staff, has been amazing. Activating medical personnel for CBTS support has given their mission an advantage, she says, because they all know the ins and outs of their role, regardless of who they’re with or where they’re working.
“It’s never surprising to see how Airmen and Soldiers can just be called to duty, with no questions asked, and they’re ready to go. Especially in the medical field, everybody knows their role, so we don’t know each other, but we know our job. And so we can come together in this foreign environment and do our job.” said Grant.
| Date Taken: |
04.28.2020 |
| Date Posted: |
04.29.2020 09:39 |
| Story ID: |
368706 |
| Location: |
US |
| Web Views: |
77 |
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This work, Air ATAG and State CMSgt. visit Community Based Testing Sites, by SGT Spencer Rhodes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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